Queen in doubt for Eagle

ARCADIA Queen, the beaten Everest favourite, is no certainty to back up in next week’s $7.50 million Golden Eagle at Rosehill Gardens.

Owner-breeder Bob Peters admitted he was disappointed Arcadia Queen’s effort to finish in front of only one runner in Yes Yes Yes’s track record-breaking The Everest and will discuss his mare’s spring campaign with trainer Chris Waller.

“I’m not sure which way to go after that,’’ Peters said.

“The Everest was very, very strong, I think she just went too hard early and had enough.

“You have to be 100 per cent and have to be 100 per cent for the next race as they are no slouches.

“We have to make sure everything is right or we will wait for something else.’’

Arcadia Queen remains at the top of Fixed Odds betting for the Golden Eagle at $4 alongside Doncaster Mile winner Brutal, just ahead of Classique Legend ($5) with Kolding and The Inevitable at $8.

The Golden Eagle, restricted to four-year-olds, is shaping as an outstanding race with the field bolstered by up to four northern hemispheretrained runners.

Irish trainer Aidan O’Brien’s Ten Sovereigns, who finished behind Arcadia Queen in The Everest, is still a chance to back-up in the Golden Eagle.

Never No More, another O’Brien-trained sprinter, Ireland’s I Am Superman and England’s Beat Le Bon, arrived in Sydney last Saturday and are being stabled at the Canterbury Quarantine Centre in preparation for the Golden Eagle.

The trio, along with O’Brien’s stayer Antilles, did some light pace work on Canterbury’s Polytrack yesterday morning.

Australian Turf Club’s James Ross said the inaugural Golden Eagle has attracted “widespread international interest.’’

“We attracted 14 international entries and to receive immediate participation from leading stables has clearly shown the lucrative prizemoney and optimal timing for northern hemisphere-trained horses provides the ideal ingredients to develop greater international participation in the future,’’ Ross said.